Game of Chance
by TO Bluejay
Summary: Jess and Slim are drawn into danger as they investigate the attempted assassination of Governor Campbell. This story is a sequel to Wild Card.


GAME OF CHANCE

Slim and Jess are drawn into danger as they independently investigate the attempt on Governor Campbell's life. This story begins about 2 weeks after Wild Card, posted in April 2017.

The morning stage, driven by Mose, pulls into the Sherman Ranch Stage Stop. Andy brings the fresh horses and leads away the old team while Mose and Jonesy hitch up the replacements. The lone passenger is an elderly man visiting his daughter in Cheyenne. He sleeps for most of the ride and has asked not be disturbed at the Stop.

Mose decides to skip coffee as he is behind schedule and climbs back into the driver's seat after the horses are changed. He picks up the reins, then drops them and picks up a canvas mail bag.

"Almost forgot!" says Mose. He takes out the latest edition of the Laramie Daily Sentinel newspaper and tosses the rolled paper to Jonesy

"There's a big writeup on Slim in the paper- all about him savin the governor from gittin kilt! Whole town's talkin bout it!" Mose smiles proudly and slaps the reins on the horses' backs. The stage pulls away.

Andy is excited to see what has been written. "What's it say, Jonsey?" Andy puts down the big pail of berries he and Jonesy have just picked and reads over Jonesy's shoulder.

Jonesy opens the paper to the front page and reads the headline: LOCAL MAN FOILS ASSASSINATION OF GOVERNOR.

Jonesy reads," Tragedy was averted at the Governor's parade on Saturday by the heroic actions of Slim Sherman, a local rancher, who apprehended a felon, later identified as a labour union agitator, about to take a rifle shot at Governor Campbell from an upper storey window of the Laramie Hotel. Mr Sherman operates the relay station for the Great Central Overland Mail Stage Line…." Jonesy smirks . "See Billings ( the editor ) ain't missed a chance to plug his biggest advertiser." Jonesy notes the large ad placed by the stage line owners on page two, where the story continues.

Jonesy begins to read the continuation, "more violence took place…" He stops abruptly and reads on silently, then closes the paper.

Andy looks at him sharply. "Why'd you stop Jonesy?"

"That's the gist of it… ain't no more …"

"Yes there is!" says Andy perceptively, grabbing the paper and stepping out of Jonesy's reach.

Andy opens the paper and reads, "more violence erupted on the parade route when three gunmen opened fire on each other shortly before the governor's carriage was to pass their location. All three miscreants were known to Territorial authorities. Two were slain in the fight. The third man, also striken by a bullet, is recovering. It is not known at this time what precipitated the conflict or whether the gunplay was connected to a plot on the Governor's life. The investigation continues…."

Andy looks up from the paper. "That ain't fair Jonesy!"

"What ain't?" asks Jonesy.

"It ain't fair to Jess. Folks in town know he was the third man. It's like sayin he was one of 'em. Jess wouldn't do nothing to hurt the Governor…"

"Trouble is Jess ain't said what he was doin in that street, Andy. And Mort says Jess knew them gunslicks in Texas…. '

"That don't mean he was workin with 'em!" says Andy angrily.

"We know that, Andy," Jonesy assures him. "But that's cause we know Jess. Folks don't know him are apt to believe what they read, or whatever talk's goin round."

"I heard folks talkin in town- some sayin they knowed all along Jess was no good," says Andy.

"Then why don't Jess tell his side?" says Jonesy. He can see Andy is distressed by the article. "Hey, if we're gonna have pies for dinner we gotta clean these berries. Let's git inside 'n git to work. ."

Meanwhile, Jess Harper is looking for strays in the north pasture. Slim has ordered him to take it easy for a while till he's recovered from being shot two weeks before. Although frustrated by doing "light duty" Jess finds by this time of day he does begin to fade in the stretch . He pulls up Traveller by a stream and dismounts, letting Traveller drink. He rolls a cigarette, sits down and leans against the trunk of a large cottonwood tree. He takes off his hat and wipes his brow, sweating from exertion and the summer afternoon heat. .

He feels a jabbing pain in his left side, and shifts position, trying to get more comfortable. He recalls waking up to the same pain two weeks before in Doc Webb's office in Laramie and hearing the sound of voices rising outside the door of his room….

A big, middle aged man with greying hair enters the room, the doctor following close behind saying "I must protest!"

"Just need to have a few words with your patient, Doc," the man says. Jess sees him flash a badge to the doctor, who stops protesting and leaves the room.

The man takes the chair from the doctor's desk near the door and plants it beside Jesse's bed. He straddles the chair and leans forward, resting his hands on the top of the wooden chair back. "Mr Harper. Name's Buchanan. He shows Jess a law officer's badge. "Chief of Staff for Governor Campbell. Just need to ask you a few questions."

Jess, barely conscious, speaks with some difficulty, "Questions bout what?"

"About the attempt on the Governor's life, and about the gunfight you and your friends had.."

"What friends?" asks Jess.

"The dead ones," says Buchanan.

"I got nothin to say.." mumbles Jess.

Buchanan drops the amiable pretense. "Listen Mister- only reason you're not behind bars right now is because Mort Corey and Slim Sherman vouched for you. Now you're gonna give me some answers…: "

Jess closes his eyes, appearing to fall back asleep.

Buchanan reaches over and grabs his shoulder, shaking it roughly. Jess opens his eyes.

"Don't play games with me, Harper! Mort Corey told me you rode with Tyree and Anderson in Texas and they were askin after you in Cheyenne. What I want to know is why you happened to be standin on the Governor's parade route and opened fire when his carriage was seconds away from where you were standin."

Jess gathers his strength to speak. "I'll tell you….on one condition…"

"Condition! Mister, you got more nerve than a bad tooth!" says Buchanan." Now you start talkin or I will drag you outa that bed and put you on a wagon to Ft Leavenworth today."

"They was gonna kill Andy Sherman," says Jess.

"Slim Sherman's kid brother?"

Jess nods. "They said if I weren't on the street like they'd planned, they'd gun Andy. Said some kid in Hollister's gang was gonna do it."

"The Lowery kid, likely," says Buchanan." Andy got a derringer away from him, beat him up pretty good I hear…but that was well before your gunfight. Where were you then?"

"In the livery. Tyree got the drop on me…told me if I didn't show they'd gun Andy…" Jess stops talking momentarily.

"What else did he tell you?" asks Buchanan in a tone that makes it clear he wants the whole truth and he wants it now.

"Told me they was hired to kill the Governor…"

"Who hired them?" demands Buchanan .

"He wouldn't say…," says Jess. "That's all I know."

"I doubt that," snaps Buchanan. "How'd you get away from Tyree if he had the drop on you?"

"Horses in the stalls kicked up… give me the chance to get Tyree's gun…kill him…'

"The body we found in the livery," Buchanan confirms, fitting the pieces together.

Jess continues, "Tyree told me how they was gonna kill the Governor 'n how they'd gun Andy if I didn't show…I would've gone to Corey but there wasn't time…figured I had one chance to gun Hollister 'n Anderson …" Jess stops talking , breathing hard from the effort of speaking and the pain in his side.

"Pretty high stakes game," says Buchanan. "What if they'd killed you instead?"

"Chance I had to take," says Jess..

Buchanan is silent for a few moments. Then he stands up. "That's quite a story…." Buchanan turns and walks to the door.

"Buchanan!' says Jess.

Buchanan stops, his hand on the door knob.

"I ain't told Slim 'n Andy Sherman what I was doin on the street….don't want 'em to know…."

Buchanan turns around." Was that the condition?"

"Yeah," says Jess.

"My investigation is confidential," says Buchanan "They won't hear it from me." Buchanan opens the door and goes out.

Jess has dozed off under the cottonwood. The sun is lower in the sky and some of the heat has gone out of the day. He awakes and gets up to find Traveller cropping the nearby grass. Jess climbs into the saddle and points Traveller in the direction of the ranch. "Time to get home for supper, boy."

As Jess rides up Slim is waiting for the stage." Hey Jess- you're just in time." Slim points to the road where the afternoon stage is approaching. "Stage is late. Team's ready- just bring em over."

Jess goes to the corral to get the horses.

Mose pulls up the stage and three passengers get out, each holding a copy of the Laramie Daily Sentinel. They all seem very interested in Slim, who is unhitching the spent horses.

"Is that HIM?" asks a well dressed, matronly woman, looking at Slim with admiration.

"Sure is!" says Mose proudly. "Slim, these here folks want to meet the man that saved the Governor's life."

A tall bespectacled man wearing a business suit holds out his hand to Slim. "Franklin Peabody, Cheyenne Cattleman's Bank .An honour to meet you sir."

Slim has been handling the horses and his hands smell horsey. He wipes his hand on his pants before shaking with Peabody.

The other man is a fat, expensively dressed executive of the Union Pacific railway. "Good work Sherman. That's one less trouble maker we need concern ourselves about."

Slim is embarrassed by the attention he is getting as a result of the article and is concerned about the write up of the gunfight, knowing that although Jess was not named, most of the readers in Laramie know Jess is the third man referred to.

Jess, hat pulled low, brings the horses over, trying to avoid looking at the passengers. He leaves the fresh horses with Slim and Mose, leads away the tired team and takes them into the barn.

At supper Slim notices Jess says very little and goes quietly out to the barn right afterwards. Slim and Jonesy drink a coffee on the porch and watch the sun go down.

"I'll put up a fresh pot o' coffee," says Jonesy." Why don't you go see if Jess'd like one now. Ain't had one at supper."

"Saw him readin the paper fore he went out," says Slim.

"Why don't he tell us what happened, Slim? We don't think he was mixed up in any plot to kill the governor," says Jonesy. "But some folks might, if'n he don't set the record straight pretty soon."

"I'll go see if he's ready to come in." Slim gets off the porch and walks into the barn where Jess is grooming Traveller. He barely notices when Slim walks up beside him and gives Traveller a pat on the neck.

"Jonesy's made fresh coffee .." says Slim.

Jess doesn't look up, just keeps grooming Traveller. "I'm gonna ride out in the morning, Slim," says Jess, as he sweeps the brush along Traveller's side.

"Because o' that "investigation continues" business in the paper?" asks Slim." Billings had no business printin that, Jess. I'm goin into town tomorrow 'n tell him to…"

"Don't," says Jess. "Don't do nothin Slim," says Jess emphatically. "Just let it be."

"I'm not lettin you leave over this, Jess…" says Slim.

"It ain't your call," says Jess firmly. "I'm headin out at first light."

The next day the morning stage pulls in on time. Mort Corey is riding inside with one passenger – Billy Lowery.. When the stage stops Mort gets out to stretch his legs.

"You stay in there," he orders Billy, who hangs his head out the window in an exaggerated attempt to breathe the fresh air.

Slim brings up the new team while Mose and the shotgun rider, Curly, unhitch the others. Mose leads the old team to the barn.

"Jess around?" asks Mort.

Slim doesn't answer, busying himself hitching up the new team.

When Slim has finished Mort asks again. "Where's Jess?"

"He's gone, Mort," says Slim.

"Gone! Why?" says Mort.

"You read the paper," says Slim bitterly. "Everybody knows Jess was the third man. What would you think after readin that?"

"I'd think there oughta be some evidence fore a man's accused of a serious crime... But then I'm just a sheriff, not a bigshot newspaper man…..Jess tell you anythin bout why he was mixed up with those gunslicks? " asks Mort.

"Not a word," says Slim. "Then he rode out this mornin. Took his wages this time…he's left before but never drawn his pay. It's like he thinks he has to leave and not come back."

"As far as the law here's concerned it was a gunfight," says Mort. "I got no reason to hold Jess over it. Governor's office is still lookin into the whole thing. Was talkin to that big fella Buchanan this morning- he don't say much. Asked him bout Jess – he just said the investigation was continuin"

"Hey Slim Sherman! " says Billy Lowery. From his vantage point hanging out the stage window he has overheard Slim and Mort's entire conversation.

"Billy Lowery. On his way to reform school. I'm deliverin him personally," says Mort with some satisfaction.

"I ain't goin to no reform school," protests Billy. "Food's lousy in them places."

"You'll be complainin bout more than the food once you get there," warns Mort. "And what do you mean – you ain't goin?"

"I wanna talk to you Slim Sherman!." says Billy. " I bin listenin to you 'n old Corey here. Maybe I know somethin bout your friend Harper you'd like to know.."

"Shut up Billy," says Mort. "What would you know about Jess?"

Mort can see Billy has Slim's attention. "He's just blowin smoke, Slim."

Slim walks up to the window of the stage. "What about Jess, Billy?"

Billy smirks, "I just might be willin to tell you, iff'n there was somethin in it for me…"

Mort is outraged. "You little …"

"Wait a minute Mort," says Slim. "What do you want Billy? Money?"

"What use would a body have for money in reform school?" says Billy. " Like as not, some guard 'd steal it from me soon as I walked in the door. I want it fixed so I don't go to no reform school."

"What else can we do with little criminals like you?" Mort has no use for Billy Lowery.

"Preacher man said he'd take me in," says Billy, "on account a me bein a lost lamb."

"Black sheep's more like it," mutters Mort.

"Heard tell his wife's a fair cook," continues Billy.

"I want to know what he knows about Jess, Mort," says Slim." Reverend Webster's no pushover. He'll keep Billy in line if he takes him in."

Mort sees Slim's desperation for what Billy claims to know. "All right Slim. If you can use what he tells you, I'll take him over to the preacher. But he's only stayin with him if he keeps outa trouble."

"All right Billy. Talk," says Slim.

"Plan was for Tyree 'n Anderson to kill the Governor, only it had to look like a accident, " says Billy. "That's where Harper come in- so's it'd look like they was settlin a score from Texas. The governor'd git hit by " accident", then they'd gun Harper. I saw Tyree follow Harper into the livery. They had to git Harper onto the street so they told him I was gonna gun Andy Sherman if he didn't show. Reckon Tyree give Harper the plan in the livery just fore Harper kilt him." Billy stifles a giggle. He didn't much care for Tyree himself.

"So that's why Jess was on the street," says Slim quietly. "To protect Andy…"

"And the Governor," says Mort. "But why not just say so? It don't make sense."

Slim looks thoughtful. "It's beginnin to, Mort. Jess doesn't want Andy 'n me to know that Andy could have been killed because of him. I accused him of bein a bad influence on Andy and puttin him in danger –that's why he was leavin the day the Governor came…..must be why he left this mornin…"

"That 'n maybe so Andy won't find out why Jess had to kill three men, and near got killed himself…." adds Mort.

" If Andy handn't got mixed up with Hollister's bunch, they couldn't have forced Jess into bein part of it," says Slim. "That's a lot o' guilt for Andy to carry around."

Mort and Slim walk back to the coach door. "All right, Billy. I guess I'm takin you to Reverend Webster," says Mort. " Hope you appreciate what he's doin for you."

"I surely do," says Billy. "He give me this here Bible too, " says Billy, holding up a little leather bound book. "Gotta be worth 6 bits at least," he says, looking expectantly at Slim, then Mort.

"Just sit back in there," orders Mort , disgusted.

Mort is about to open the coach door when Slim puts a hand on his arm. "Mort, don't say anything about this to Andy or Jonesy."

"If that's the way you want it," says Mort.

"It's the way Jess wants it," says Slim.

Mort climbs into the coach and sits down opposite Billy.

Suddenly Slim reaches into the coach and grabs Billy by the jacket collar, pulling him close. "And if you say one word about this to anyone, I will personally deliver you to the reform school with the meanest guards and the worst food in the territory,' says Slim, throwing Billy back roughly into the seat and slamming the stagecoach door.

Meanwhile Jess rides into Cheyenne, into the seedy part of town- a collection of flimsy board huts and dirty tents. Cooking pots are set up on open fires in front of tent doorways. Women tend to the cooking fires while unruly children shout and play in the muddy street. There are sounds of drunken men laughing and shouting and firing off six guns. A collection of cheaply constructed, false fronted buildings, mostly saloons and brothels, lines the Main St in this part of town.

Jess has been looking for a certain individual and has made inquiries among the denizens of tent town as to where he may be found.

Jess pulls up Traveller in front of the Silver Dollar, an establishment frequented by drunkards, card cheats and all manner of reprobates. He ties Traveller and walks through the batwing doors of the saloon.

Jess walks to a table in the back of the saloon where a fat, older man in a plaid shirt, suspenders and a bowler hat is sitting alone, apparently dozing, a half glass of beer on the table in front of him. It is Tulley Casper.(Tulley Casper was played by Edgar Buchanan in Stolen Tribute, s 2 – Tulley was the old man living in the ghost town where the outlaws and Jess were looking for the gold)

Jess pulls out a chair, and sits down. "Hello Tulley.".

Tulley startles awake. "Jess Harper! What do you want?"

"Information", says Jess.

"What kinda information?" asks Tulley suspiciously.

"The kind a sidewinder like you'd know about.," says Jess. "Luke Anderson and Ben Tyree- hired guns outa Texas. They were in Cheyenne few weeks ago …throwin my name around …who were they workin for? "

Tulley closes his eyes and concentrates, looking like he is trying to remember something. "Don't know as I ever heerd of them two… course my memory ain't what it used to be…"

Jess slides a $10 gold piece across the table .

Tulley snatches it up. Something has apparently come back to him. 'I believe I do recall somethin bout them fellers… ," he says.

Jess slides another $10 gold piece across the table.

Tulley pockets the gold pieces. "Word is, they're workin for Cyrus Cobb, owns the Eldorado Palace – other side o'town."

"Doin what?" asks Jess.

"Most anythin," says Tulley. 'Cobb's got big plans- wants to be the man who matters in Wyomin….anybody gits in his way….…" Tulley leaves the sentence unfinished and takes a swig of beer.

"Anybody get in his way lately?" asks Jess.

"Frank Foster- owned the Lucky 7 Saloon. Tried to take on Cobb by runnin honest games. They found him one mornin on the roulette table, knife in his heart. Cobb took over the Lucky 7 after that… word was Tyree 'n Anderson done in Foster."

"Anythin else?" asks Jess.

"Ed Maxwell – ran a fancy whorehouse other side o' town. Disappeared one night. Found him bout a week later on the train tracks. Leastwise, they think it was him…Cobb took over Ed's whores after that- moved 'em to one o' his places. Couple o' trail hands was in a poker game with Tyree , said he got drunk 'n was laughin bout how Anderson 'n him tied Ed to the track 'n waited for the train…"

"What'd they say bout me?" asks Jess.

Tully suddenly becomes vague. "Don't rightly recall…"

Jess flips him another eagle.

"Said they had a score to settle with you'n they was goin to Laramie to find you. Seems like you got a talent for 'makin enemies, Harper. I ain't surprised. Look what you done to me- robbin me of my gold…."

"That gold was stole, Tulley," says Jess.

"That's right!" says Tulley angrily. "Stole by you from me!"

Jess has all the information he needs and stands up, turning to leave.

"Hey Harper- Tyree 'n Anderson ever catch up to you in Laramie?" asks Tulley hopefully.

"Yeah," says Jess, walking away and out the saloon doors. He mounts Traveller and rides to the other side of town.

As soon as Jess is out the door Tulley Casper gets up and slips out the back door of the Silver Dollar, leaving an unfinished mug of beer on the table.

Meanwhile, back at the Sherman ranch, Slim is working at the blacksmith forge when Tom Buchanan, Governor Campbell's Chief of Staff, rides up and dismounts. Slim puts down his blacksmith tools and walks out to greet him.

"Mr Buchanan."

"Tom," says Buchanan smiling and offering his hand. "You look busy…."

"I was just gonna stop for lunch," says Slim. "Come on in."

Buchanan's face lights up at the mention of lunch. "Wouldn't want to impose…."

"It's leftovers from supper last night , but there's plenty," says Slim walking up the porch steps and opening the door. "Last night's stew 'n dumplings 'n half an apple pie."

Buchanan sits down at the table as Slim dishes out the food. Buchanan eats quickly and finishes the stew. "Where's your brother and the older man?" asks Buchanan.

"Andy 'n Jonesy 've gone fishin, " says Slim.

"And the hired hand-Harper. Where's he?" asks Buchanan.

Slim fills the coffee cups. "He's not here right now."

Buchanan takes a sip of coffee and gives Slim a sharp look. "Meanin he lit out and you don't know where he is…"

Slim doesn't deny it. "You need to talk to him?"

Buchanan switches out his empty dinner plate for a small plate laden with an oversized piece of pie. "Right now, I need to talk to you," says Buchanan. "About Harry Osmond."

"What about him?" asks Slim, recalling the would –be assassin he had gunned down in the Laramie hotel .

"After you shot him we found a horse in the alley, tied at the back door of the hotel, provisions in the saddlebags."

"Was Osmond thinkin he could shoot the Governor of the territory and just ride away?" says Slim.

"Might have worked if you didn't happen to see the gun barrel in the window," says Buchanan. "With the panic in the street and all the noise and confusion …Question is, where'd he get the horse? Desk clerk says Osmond never left the room that morning."

"You think he was workin with somebody in town?" asks Slim.

"Livery owner says somebody took out a saddled horse first thing the morning of the parade," says Buchanan.

"Who'd help somebody if they knew he was gonna to kill the governor? asks Slim.

"That's what I need you to find out," says Buchanan.

"Me?" says Slim, shocked. "How?"

"One lead we have is Osmond's handbills-we know they were printed in Cheyenne," says Buchanan, reaching into a pocket and taking out one of the _Justice for Railway Workers_ flyers that Slim had found in Osmond's room . "Union agitators've been talking to the engineers, other rail workers and the coal miners in the area , far west as Carbon. Miners just got their pay rates cut again…company stores haven't lowered their prices…conditions in the pits are unsafe…word is miners're real angry…could be lookin to strike… Governor and the railway want to find out who the ringleaders are…"

"How do you expect me to find out anything?" asks Slim.

"By going to Cheyenne. You wouldn't arouse suspicion the way my agents or a Pinkerton would. You go there regular on cattle business and stage line business. This time you're going to arrange a cattle deal for Governor Campbell's office and while you're there, you'll put it around that you're interested getting into the coal mining business….might flush out somebody knows something about the union," says Buchanan.

"Thought the Union Pacific owns all the coal mines…" says Slim, aware of the vast landholdings of the railway, which included mineral rights.

"There are still some independents, and from what I hear there's a few very rich men who want to get into Wyoming coal -they know the territory is sitting on huge deposits."

"But even if I wanted to help I have a ranch and stage stop to run and a kid brother to look after…" protests Slim.

"I've got two men outside to help with the stock and the stage, and from what I've heard your kid brother can take care of himself," says Buchanan

Slim still appears hesitant. He gets up and takes the coffee pot from the stove, then comes back and refills their cups.

Buchanan nods thanks for the refill. He senses Slim's reluctance to leave the ranch and realizes he needs to play his trump card. "Of course, the one living link we have to all this is your man Harper."

"Jess? Jess wasn't involved in any plot to kill the governor," says Slim emphatically.

"He's mixed up in it somehow," says Buchanan. "The horse that was tied up back of the hotel belonged to Sam Hollister. Livery owner says it was Billy Lowery, one of Hollister's boys, took it out saddled that morning," says Buchanan. "Hollister was gunned down by Jess Harper wasn't he?"

Slim takes a sip of coffee cup and stares for a long time into the cup. "All right. I'll go.".

Some time later Buchanan is ready to leave. Slim shows Buchanan's men, two young cavalry troopers in plain clothes, where to stow their gear in the bunkhouse and explains the work of the ranch and stage stop.

Buchanan is about to saddle up when he takes a picture out of his pocket and hands it to Slim. It is Osmond's death portrait. He is lying in a cheap coffin in an ill fitting black suit provided by the undertaker, who keeps donated clothing on hand to bury the indigent. Buchanan had not permitted the undertaker to cut Osmond's scraggly black hair, which fell to his shoulders, or to trim Osmond's thick black moustache for the picture.

"You can use this to see if anyone recognizes Osmond when you get to Cheyenne. We know there's a watering hole in the south end of town- the Shamrock Saloon -where the bog trotters that run the union get together," says Buchanan. "You could start there."

Some time later Slim is riding down the lane , away from the ranch. He intends to make one stop before leaving town.- the little white frame church curated by Reverend Josiah Webster, the preacher man who has taken in Billy Lowery..

Slim dismounts and ties Alamo at the railing beside the church. He finds the door open and steps inside . Reverend Webster and Billy Lowery are standing at the front of the church. Billy is holding a broom. When he sees Slim Billy ducks between a couple of pews , and kneels on the floor, reaching the broom after some pieces of hay under the pews..

"Billy, look who's here!" says Webster amiably. "It's Slim Sherman." Webster turns to Slim. "Nice of you to look in on Billy, Slim. You'll have to excuse me- someone's waiting to see me over at the house. Billy, why don't you show Slim the painting work you've done."

After Webster has gone out Slim steps closer to Billy, who holds up the broom in defence. "Slim Sherman, I ain't said nothin bout Harper ! You got no call to be comin after me!"

"You tied up a horse at the back door of the hotel the morning the governor was in town. Hollister tell you to do that?" says Slim.

"No…" says Billy, avoiding Slim's cold blue stare.

"You're lyin, Billy," accuses Slim.

"Slim Sherman- I would not lie to you in the house of the Lord!" protests Billy. "A feller was stayin at the hotel saw me takin one o' Hollister's horses back to the livery day fore the parade. Said he needed a horse to leave town next mornin. Asked me was that my horse…'n would I take $50 for him?" Billy looks at the floor.

"Keep talkin Billy," orders Slim.

"I figured that old Hollister ain't never paid me fair so I sold that feller Hollister's horse 'n kept the money. I tied him at back o' the hotel next mornin like he asked… Preacher man says stealin's a sin, but I figure stealin from a skunk like Hollister don't count. You aint' gonna tell the preacher man are yuh?"

"Did the man at the hotel say where he was going?" asks Slim.

"Cheyenne," says Billy, relieved that Slim has no apparent interest in his theft from Hollister. Billy reaches into his pocket. "That feller give me this here thee-a-ter ticket. I ain't likely to be usin it….figure it's worth at least 6 bits…." He looks at Slim hopefully.

Slim takes the ticket. It is for an evening performance of Julius Caesar at the Eldorado Palace in Cheyenne. To Billy's surprise Slim takes some change out of his pocket and hands him 6 bits.

Slim walks out of the church, swings onto Alamo and kicks him to a gallop on the road to Cheyenne.

Back at the ranch, Jonesy and Andy are preparing dinner for the two young troopers. Slim had hastily introduced the men to Jonesy and Andy before he left. As he packed his gear he told Andy and Jonesy that Tom Buchanan had asked him to manage a stock deal with cattlemen in Cheyenne, on behalf of the Governor's office. The job would pay $500 – enough to buy the breeding stock they'd been saving for.

As Andy sets the table he asks Jonesy," What do s'pose Slim's really doin in Cheyenne?"

"What do you mean?" asks Jonesy.

"It's just somethin Jess said, " says Andy, "He said he hoped Slim'd never have to lie his way out of anythin cause he was the worst dadgummed liar he'd ever seen."

"You don't think he's workin for Buchanan?" asks Jonesy.

"Maybe," says Andy. "But he ain't just doin a cattle deal."

Meanwhile, Jess has stabled Traveller in a livery down the street from the Eldorado Palace. When he goes to pay he cannot find the owner. He is about to leave and settle up later when three men walk into stable. One closes the door behind them.

A heavy, bearded man walks toward Jess. "Your name Harper?"

"Who wants to know?" says Jess, always defiant when threatened.

"You'll find out," says the bearded man, spewing a stream of brown tobacco juice onto the stable floor. "Now you just come along with us.,,"

Jess grabs a bridle slung over a stall and swings it, hitting the bearded man in the face. The man loses balance momentarily and Jess bolts past him for the door.

Another man, almost as big as the first grabs Jess as he tries to escape and pins his arms behind his back. Jess kicks out and struggles against the big man's powerful hold as the third man approaches and punches him several times in the midsection, hitting him in the side where he was wounded a couple of weeks earlier.

Jess crumples with the pain and the man hits him across the face. Almost immobilized, Jess stumbles as the men push him down the alley behind the livery to the back door of the Eldorado Palace.

Jess looks up just as Tully Casper emerges from the back door. Tulley smirks as he passes Jess, fanning the greenbacks Cyrus Cobb has given him for the information that a kill - crazy gunslick named Jess Harper was looking for him, and was gunning for bear.

They half drag Jess down a hallway and one of the men opens a door which leads to a large, well furnished office. A slim, balding, well dressed man who looks and talks like actor John Malkovich is sitting behind an ornate wooden desk, studying WANTED posters.

The bearded man takes Jess's gun from its holster, places it on the desk in front of the well dressed man and pushes Jess roughly down into the chair on the other side of the desk.

The well dressed man looks up from a poster and leans forward in his chair. "Jess Harper- WANTED in Willow, Colorado." He holds up a poster with Jess's picture on it.

"I ain't wanted there no more. I was cleared of them charges," Jess protests hoarsely.

"Oh," says the man, seeming disappointed and tossing the poster aside. He sits back in his chair. "I'm Cyrus Cobb. I understand you're looking for me."

"That's right," says Jess, looking around at the three henchmen standing behind him.

"You can go," says Cobb to the three men, who file out of the office. Cobb picks up Jess's gunslinger gun from the desk and studies it, pointing it for a long moment at Jess. . "Impressive weapon", concludes Cobb, who exudes menace despite the refinement of his appearance and his affectation of courtesy. "Tulley Casper says you were asking about two gunslingers from Texas…."

"Luke Anderson and Ben Tyree. Tulley says they were workin for you," says Jess.

Cobb gets up and walks over to a small table and pours two glasses of whisky from a crystal decanter. He sets a glass down in front of Jess and sits back down, taking a sip from his own glass. Jess picks up the glass and takes a swig- it is fine liquor, not the rotgut that is usually served in territorial saloons.

"First of all, I don't employ gunslingers," says Cobb. "I create opportunities for people who have certain capabilities, which can include the skillful use of a gun." He holds up a WANTED poster from the stack on his desk. "The authorities offer cash rewards for the demise of men they deem to be dangerous. Why should a private citizen not be entitled to do the same thing?"

"You put out a bounty on the Governor of the Territory?" asks Jess, not quite believing anyone would dare do this. "Tyree said they was in Laramie to kill the Governor."

"I won't deny having made an offer of payment to whoever could effect a change of regime here in the Territory," says Cobb.

"Why!?" asks Jess, stunned by Cobb's cold admission of guilt.

Cobb opens an expensive cigar case on the desk, extracts a cigar and takes his time lighting it. "I have a vision for the Territory, which John Campbell does not share . I want to acquire territorial land -there is a fortune in coal under the ground here. But the current regime seems to think the railway should own most of it."

" I have friends in high places in Washington who share my vision, and who would influence President Grant to see that I share in the mineral wealth of the territory. And once Campbell and his cronies are out of the way Grant will appoint new territorial officials – judges, US marshals, others. My contacts will also ensure that the men appointed will not interfere with my business operations here, the way Mr Law and Order Campbell has done ." .

"You gonna try again?" asks Jess bluntly.

"What a question, Mr Harper! I expect I'll be making a new plan- perhaps something not quite so direct as assassination. But enough about me. Let's talk about you. " Cobb pulls the Laramie Daily Sentinel with the write up of the Governor's near assassination out from under the stack of posters. "I assume you were the third miscreant – the one who survived the gunfight. Let's start with why you killed Anderson and the Laramie man, Hollister in the street. I assume you also killed Tyree, the body found in the livery stable.."

Jess doesn't try to deny it. "I rode with Tyree 'n Anderson in Texas. Anderson had it in his mind that I got his kid brother killed. He's been waitin years to settle the score. Tyree told me if I didn't show on the street they'd tell the Laramie sheriff 'n the rancher I was workin for things bout my past I wouldn't want 'em to know."

"But you said you were cleared of the charges in Willow," says Cobb.

"I ain't bin cleared of everythin I done," says Jess bitterly. "Figured I'd made a fresh start in Laramie but now when I go into town they point me out and talk behind my back. I figured the rancher I was workin for was gonna ask me to clear out any day so I beat him to the draw 'n quit. When you've bin a gunslick there ain't no leavin your past behind. I know that now."

Cobb takes a sip of whisky and looks thoughtful. Jess can tell he's deciding whether to believe his story. Jess recalls Dixie Howard, his old gunslinger mentor, and feels grateful that Dixie trained him to be such a cool liar. (Dixie was played by Rod Cameron in s. 2 episode Men in Shadows)

"Why did you come to me?" asks Cobb.

Jess leans back in the chair and takes another swig of whisky. "Anderson and Tyree don't come cheap. I figure whoever was paying them for gunnin down the Governor of the Territory'd pretty well fixed for funds. Thought maybe we could do some business…"

Cobb takes a drag on the cigar. "Well I'll admit you have potential if you could kill three men in a morning." Cobb notices that Jess is bleeding through his shirt low on his left side. "Did my men do that? I'm so sorry- that was excessive. We'll have to take care of that. Come along with me." He picks up Jess's gun and hands it back to him.

Cobb gets up and goes to the door. He opens it and waits for Jess to go out. The three henchmen are standing outside in the hall. Cobb leads Jess down the hall to a row of dressing rooms which are part of the theatre section of the Eldorado Palace. He knocks on a door and does not wait for an answer before opening it. An attractive dark haired woman is sitting in front of a mirror applying makeup. She watches in the mirror as Cobb and Jess step into the room.

"My dear, this gentleman is in need of your nursing skills. Mr Harper, I'll leave you in this ministering angel's care . I have some business to attend to- I'll see you at the bar in an hour or so." Cobb shuts the door.

The woman looks at Jess without concern. She pours some water into a small basin and opens a small cabinet containing strips of cloth that have been cut into bandages. "Sit down and open yur shirt," she snaps, pointing to a velvet settee in the corner of the room. Jess complies, noting from her accent that she is Irish.

She sits beside him on the settee. She soaks a cloth and proceeds to roughly wipe the fresh blood away where the wound has opened. The water is freezing cold, for which she makes no apology.

"I take it you're his new gunman, says the woman. "Ye must have got right to work," she says, assuming the gunshot wound was the result of some assignment Jess had done for Cobb.

Jess notes the woman's rouged cheeks and lips, fake beauty mark, low cut, red saloon girl dress and gaudy jewellery. "And what is it you do around here- the cookin?"

The woman looks at him angrily. ."Why don't you just say it? Yes, I'm his whore. But maybe there's worse things –like bein a miner's wife or mother or sister…livin in a shack… scrapin to feed a family, buyin everything from a company store which makes sure ye've nothin left after pay day…prayin every day that your men'll come out of the hole in ground where they're workin, so they can go back down the next day, until one day there's an explosion 'n nobody comes out… …" Through her anger, Jess can see her bitter sorrow.

She places a bandage on the wound . "Hold that there," she orders. Jess obeys and she takes a length of strong material and ties the bandage in place, pulling it uncomfortably tight . "I think you'll live." She gets up and walks to the door.

"You men with nothin else to turn to can pick up a gun and make a livin by killin people…ye think that's a more honourable livin than what I do?…"

Jess doesn't answer. He's sorry for judging her so harshly but he can see there's no point trying to make amends. "Thank you for the nursin, Miss…?"

"It's Moira. Moira Doyle," she says, as she opens the door of the dressing room. "Oh, in case ye're wonderin- I do have other talents. In the intermission of Mr Shakespeare's play I sing and dance. If ye ask me, the mucky mucks say they're comin here for culture'd as soon see me perform as see Julius Caesar stabbed to death."

Jess goes out the door and Moira slams it shut after him.

Meanwhile Slim rides into Cheyenne, heading for the south side of town and the Shamrock Saloon. He pulls up Alamo at a rough frame structure painted green, with _Shamrock Salo_ on lettered over a shamrock painted inartistically on the front door. He ties Alamo and goes inside.

The saloon is dark and narrow and reeks of beer and dampness. Somewhere in the bar a harmonica is softly playing Irish tunes. Gaunt faced men standing at the rough wooden bar turn as Slim enters, their eyes follow him as he walks toward the bar. A plump, fortyish barmaid with greying blonde hair is picking up a drink order at the bar. She looks Slim over appreciatively and turns to the bartender, a little Irishman with bright black eyes and slicked down black hair. "If that's what Pinkerton's sendin to spy on us now, might be worth gettin arrested."

"Shut your gob Meg," says the bartender angrily.

Slim steps up to the bar .

"Evenin sir- what can I get for you?" says the bartender.

"Beer's fine," says Slim, smiling agreeably at the bartender and Meg. The bartender fills a heavy glass mug with beer and places it on the bar in front of Slim. Slim pays for the beer and takes a swig.

Meanwhile two men sitting at a table at the back of the bar are watching Slim intently and speaking quietly. The younger man is broad shouldered with curly red hair showing under a tweed cap. The older man has a grey beard, and wears a bowler hat.

"Find out what he wants, Will," says the younger man.

The older man picks up his glass and moves through the tightly packed tables and chairs to the bar. He sets the shot glass on the bar near Slim and motions to the bartender for another shot of whisky. He steps close enough to Slim to start a conversation.

"Would you be interested in a friendly game of poker?" asks Will amicably.

"No, thanks,": says Slim. He takes another swig of beer. "Your friend ask you to find out what I'm doin here?" Slim has been scanning the room and noticed the two men at the back casting furtive glances toward him and talking quietly, their heads close together.

Will laughs, "Matter of fact, he did." Will pulls a derringer from his pocket and holds it against Slim's chest. "So I think you'd best be tellin me just that."

"I have a ranch in Laramie. I came here to broker a cattle deal for Governor Campbell's office at the Cattlemen's Club ." Buchanan had insured that there was a real cattle deal for Slim to manage while he dug around for the information Buchanan wanted. While at the Club Slim had let it be known he was interested in getting into coal mining, hoping among the businessmen there would be someone with information about the union's activities in the area.

"And why would a man who's bin rubbin shoulders with the toffs in the Cattlemen's Club be drinkin in the Shamrock saloon?" asks Will, signalling to the young, red haired man he had been sitting with to approach the bar.

'It's about this man. I'm looking for information," says Slim, taking out Osmond's coffin picture from his pocket and showing it to Will.

"If you find him, it's gonna be a pretty one sided conversation," observes Will.

"I'm looking for someone who might have known him." Slim pulls the _Justice for Railway Workers_ pamphlet out of his pocket. "He was handin these out in Laramie. They were printed here. We found a stash of them in his hotel room after he died."

"And had you a hand in his demise?" asks Will, as the young red haired man steps up beside him, carrying a shot glass of whisky.

Slim nods. "I shot him. Just as he was about to shoot Governor Campbell."

"Good work, then. . Didn't get your name…." says Will.

"It's Slim Sherman," says Slim.

"I'm Will Donaghue." He gestures to the red haired man standing beside them, who is taller even than Slim.. "And this brute here is Michael Doyle."

Slim notes something vaguely familiar about Doyle, then remembers that his was the picture Buchanan had given him the day of the Governor's parade. Doyle was the red-haired union agitator that had been in Buchanan's sites as a possible assassin and was the man Slim had been watching for, before he saw Osmond's gun barrel protruding from the hotel window.

"Michael, this one's askin about Harry Osmond, God rest his soul," says Will, showing Doyle the picture of Osmond in mortis .

Doyle glances at the picture. "What would you want to be knowin about that little shite?'

Donaghue picks up the pamphlet." He was givin these out in Laramie day he tried to shoot the Governor…"

"Damn," says Doyle. "We had no part o' that. " Doyle stops talking to listen to the tune- _Kathleen Mavourneen_ \- being played on the harmonica by a young man at a table a short distance away. Coins have been thrown into a glass beer mug on the table in front of him. Doyle angrily fires his shot glass at the harmonica man and it hits the wall behind him, shattering. "Ye'll not play that tune in here!" The harmonica man hits the floor and crawls under the table.

Two men step up and take hold of Doyle, pulling him away from the bar. "Michael, we need to talk to you outside a minute."

Doyle turns back to Will and Slim. "Tell him what he wants to know, Will." Doyle walks away and follows the two men out the back door of the Shamrock Saloon.

'So this isn't the union's pamphlet?" asks Slim.

"Osmond had them printed . He was smitten with one of the women here…her family were miners…wanted to impress her as a big union hero standin up for the miners… truth be told he was nothing but a lot of show…so when she left here to ply her trade on t'other side o' town he followed her there …"

"Where did she go?" asks Slim.

"Some high class joint on the north side- Eldorado Palace. Puts on plays 'n the like. Osmond finally found his callin…building scenery… doin bit parts 'n such. Woman who sews the costumes there is a friend o' mine . She might know somethin ..I can take you there. "

"Thanks," says Slim, grateful but puzzled by the union's willingness to help, and not sure he can trust Will Donaghue.

Will senses Slim's mistrust. "Mr Sherman, If ye really are workin for the Governor we want him to know it's not trouble we want. Sure, we'll stand up for ourselves as needs be, but we're not cowardly assassins."

Will and Slim mount up and ride through the narrow, crowded streets to the "better' side of town. Will pulls up his horse in front of a large, brightly painted building – the Eldorado Palace. Outside is a large sandwich board sign advertising the evening's entertainment _Julius Caesar- this week only!"_ They dismount and tie their horses.

Will and Slim walk around the back to a service door used by the performers and others connected to the theatre part of the Eldorado. They enter and Will leads Slim down the hall to a door on which has been nailed a hand painted sign –PROPS.

Will knocks and opens the door. A grey haired woman is sitting in a chair, stitching a brightly coloured costume draped across her knees. She looks up and smiles at Will.

"Have you come to see Edwin Burton's performance tonight?" she asks. Burton was an eminent American actor who was playing Julius Caesar on the Eldorado's stage that evening. The performance had been widely advertised.

"No Maggie darlin- we've come to see you,' says Will." Want you to meet Slim Sherman- from Laramie."

"Friend o' yours, Will ?" Maggie asks, wondering who this tall stranger who has the look of a Pinkerton might be. Maggie's charges for her services and material were often inflated on the Eldorado's books. Maggie wonders if Cobb might be onto her and has hired someone to look into it.

"I'm here for the performance," says Slim, showing her the ticket for Julius Ceasar Billy Lowery sold him for 6 bits.

Maggie relaxes on seeing the ticket. "Now you'll be able say you've seen the great Edwin Burton on stage, right here in Cheyenne."

"Remember Harry Osmond?" says Will. '"Did ye know he's passed on?"

"I hadn't heard," says Maggie. "Sure, he was a strange one."

"I thought as I'm here I'd go through his box to see if there's any mention of relatives… seems the decent thing to let 'em know."

Maggie reaches into the pocket of her apron and produces a ring of keys, locating the one for the actor's locker room. "His name's on his trunk. Return the key when you're through."

Slim follows Will down the hall . They unlock the door and enter the room where trunks and satchels and hatboxes , all labelled with the names of their owners are lined up on rough shelving. On the bottom shelf is a small black trunk labelled Harry Osmond. Will pulls it out onto the floor. It is unlocked. Inside are a couple of extra white shirts, some pots of stage makeup, several wigs, and copies of well read plays with pages turned down and speeches underlined - parts that Osmond had presumably auditioned for but not been given.

"From what I saw he wasn't much of an actor- he hadn't the voice or the bearing. Just did some bits here and there," says Will. In amongst the copies of plays is a roll of newspaper and magazine clippings about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, many of which feature a likeness of John Wilkes Booth.

Will takes out Osmond's photo and holds it against one of the likenesses of Booth. "Osmond does favour Booth somewhat. It's a funny thing- when he first came to live among us at the mine he hadn't the long hair or moustache. He must have grown them after he got involved with the theatre here. Almost as if he was gettin ready for a part."

"The part of an assassin," says Slim. "So he decided to look like the most famous assassin in the country. But why would someone like him want to kill the Governor?"

"A nobody wantin to be a somebody?" suggests Will.

"I got a feelin there's more to it," says Slim. "The girl he was interested in- you said she came here. Can we see her?"

"You can see her right now," says Will. "That's her music – she'll be singin onstage. Let's go out and get a seat…might as well have a drink while we're here."

Slim and Will buy drinks at the bar and find their way through the darkened theatre to a small table . A lone violin in the orchestra at the base of the stage begins to play the introduction to a song. Slim recognizes the tune as the one that had incited Michael Doyle to hurl his whisky glass at the harmonica man in the Shamrock Saloon.

A young dark haired woman in a green dress walks onto the stage and begins to sing the old Irish love song _Kathleen Mavourneen_. When she reaches the lines "this day we must part…. it may be for years and it may be forever.." her look of sorrow is genuine and there are tears in her eyes.

Slim, who has a good singing voice himself, is impressed with her clear, sweet soprano.  
"She has a lovely voice," he remarks to Will. "Who is she?"

"Name's Moira Doyle," says Will.

"Any relation to Michael?" asks Slim.

"She's his wife," says Will.

Moira finishes the song, takes a bow and leaves the stage to thunderous applause. The curtain closes as the stage is set for the continuation of Julius Caesar.

"What's she doing here?" asks Slim.

Will takes a swig of whisky. "She and Michael had been married but a few months when there was an explosion in the mine. Moira's father and two brothers were killed. Michael was working cuttin timber that day or he'd of joined them. She begged Michael to quit, but he'd gotten involved with the brotherhood by then, and become the leader. He's a stubborn one – won't give an inch when he's decided to take on somethin."

"I have a friend like that,' says Slim, wondering where Jess is and if he'll see him again.

"Moira told Michael if he wouldn't leave the mine, she'd leave him. She heard they were lookin for female entertainers here…she got the job and moved in with the toff owns the place."

"How does Osmond come into it?" asks Slim.

"He was mad about her, used to follow her about- not meanin harm, you understand- he set her on high, like a queen . When she was with Michael Osmond sent her letters talkin rubbish how he was goin to be a bigger union hero than Michael and make her that proud. Michael worked him over a few times tryin to make him stop. Then when Moira left, Osmond followed her here.

"Can I meet her?" asks Slim.

"I'll get Maggie to set it up," says Will.

A short while later Maggie, Jess and Will are standing outside Moira's dressing room door. "She says ye can have five minutes, no more. She's promised Cobb to go out and meet an admirer," says Maggie, knocking lightly on the door.

Jess and Will step into the dressing room. Moira is still in her green costume. She looks at Will coldly.

"You're lookin well, Moira," says Will. "This is Slim Sherman, from Laramie."

"What do you want, Will?" she asks curtly.

"We want your help, Moira," says Will.

"My help, is it?" scoffs Moira . "Whatever for?"

"Harry Osmond's dead," says Will. "Mr Sherman here shot him as he was about to shoot Governor Campbell in Laramie couple a weeks back."

"Osmond's dead?" says Moira, almost disbelieving. "Thanks be to God."

"I know he held a strange affection for you Moira – those letters he used to write to you back at the mine …" says Will.

"He started it again here. I was gonna go to Cobb about him, but then he left a few weeks ago and didn't come back…" says Moira.

"Do you still have the letters? There might be a clue about the Governor…" begins Slim.

Moira suddenly appears very nervous. "No…I burned them. Why would I be keepin letters from a madman?"

"He was givin out pamphlets in Laramie, sayin they was from the union brotherhood. He's made it look like the union was after killin the Governor," says Will. "If you could remember anythin that would take the suspicion off us...we've enough trouble without this…the new owner of the mine … this man Cobb… he's gonna be worse than Henderson ever was…"

"Cobb owns the mine now?" asks Moira, surprised at the news.

"They're still investigatin the accident but Henderson (the mine owner) was anxious to get whatever money he could out of it," says Will. "Sold out real cheap, I hear."

"I have to go now," says Moira, picking up a lacy shawl. . "How is … everyone?" asks Moira softly.

Will gives her a knowing look. "Everyone still wants you to come home, Moira."

Moira smiles bitterly. "Fine- I'll wear me brightest red dress and a potful o' rouge. They'll welcome me with open arms, I'm sure." She walks out of the dressing room, wrapping the expensive shawl around her shoulders.

Will and Slim find Maggie waiting in the hall. "The next act'll be startin soon," says Maggie to Slim." If you want to see Mr Burton as Ceasar, you'd best hurry."

"I've a ticket as well," says Will. "Maggie here sees to it that I don't miss a show. Let's go in and see Mr Burton and see what everybody's talkin about."

Will and Slim go down a shallow set of stairs and through a stage door that leads out into the theatre. Moira is already sitting at a table near the bar with a well dressed man, a business associate of Cobb's.

"Might as well get another drink," says Will, steering Slim toward the bar.

Meanwhile Jess Harper is standing at the bar, hunched over a shot of whisky, waiting for Cobb. He looks up and in the long, ornate mirror over the bar sees Slim approaching behind him. At the far end of the mirror he sees Cobb also approaching.

Jess turns around, leans lazily against the bar, drains the shot he is holding and orders another.

Seeing Jess, Slim stops in surprise. He is about to greet Jess warmly .

Before Slim can speak Jess says, "Well if it ain't Slim Sherman- my former employer." Jess's clothes and hat are dusty, he has not shaved for two days and there is a bruise on his cheek where Cobb's henchman had slugged him in the livery stable. He looks and sounds like saddle trash, which is his intention. He swallows the shot of whisky in one gulp and slams the shot glass down on the bar, gesturing for another.

Slim is shocked by Jess's cocky insolence – he has not seen this side of his friend since that day they'd first met when he'd caught Jess trespassing on the ranch. Slim knows Jess would not get drunk in unfamiliar territory. Jess had left the ranch in haste but not in anger. They had parted amicably but with Jess still declining to say more about why he was leaving.

"And what brings you to Cheyenne, MR Sherman?" demands Jess. "Lookin to hire 3 men or so to take my place, to do all the work I done on your pissant ranch, for starvation wages?"

Slim senses Jess is playing a dangerous game, taunting him, demanding that he join in.

"I'm here on business, not that it's any of your concern," snaps Slim, assuming his sternest manner.

"And how're all the fine folks in Laramie? What're they sayin bout me, now that I'm gone?" says Jess, becoming even more insolent as the liquor appears to take effect.

"They're sayin what a fool I was for takin in a no-count drifter gunslick," says Slim bitterly. "I've heard enough outa you, Harper. Hope the next man that takes you on treats you like you deserve." Slim turns abruptly and stalks away from the bar, leaving Will behind.

Cobb has been curiously watching the exchange from his vantage point at the end of the bar.

Moira has also watched, ignoring the compliments of the fawning admirer seated beside her.

Some time later Moira lets herself into Cobb's private office to wait for him. The office adjoins her dressing room and she and Cobb have the only keys to the door separating the rooms. A larger office adjoining this one is where Cobb transacts his official business.

She has some interesting information for him tonight –the man in the bar Jess Harper had been insulting –Slim Sherman- had come to her earlier asking questions about the Governor's near assassination by Harry Osmond.

Cobb is having a late supper meeting in his private dining room with some men from the Cheyenne Club. In the course of the conversation someone mentions that an area rancher, Slim Sherman, is asking about opportunities in coal mining.

Meanwhile Moira sits down in the chair behind Cobb's desk and struggles not to fall asleep. It is past 10 PM. Finally she hears the door of the outer office unlocking. She hears Cobb and Jim Slade, one of Cobb's most ruthless henchmen, talking. Slade is passing on information to Cobb that he was given by Dan Logan, a man Cobb has been able to place in a minor clerical position in the territorial US marshal's office to spy on law enforcement staff and report matters of concern to Cobb. .

Moira hears Slade's voice rising, his tone angry and impatient. "I tell you Cobb - They've got proof the mine explosion was sabotage, not an accident. Henderson used every dime you paid him to hire this Dr Hochstein, best mining engineer in the territory, to investigate the explosion. He took his findings to the US marshal. He's meetin him at the mine tomorrow morning to go over his report and they're gonna look at the site of the explosion."

"We'll make sure we're there too, then," says Cobb matter of factly. "The unfortunate thing about investigating mine explosions is you never know when more of the mine will collapse- with you in it."

"All right, I'll tell the men. Want to bring that new man Harper? " asks Slade.

"Might as well…although I haven't quite made up my mind about him…Oh, by the way- have you ever heard of Slim Sherman? "

"No. Why?" asks Slade.

"He was in the bar today- seems Harper used to work for him. He's sniffing around for opportunities in coal mining," says Cobb. "We need to make sure he understands that those opportunities are limited – to me. "

Moira hears Slade's heavy boots and jangling spurs walking to the door of the outer office. As the door opens and closes Moira goes back into her dressing room moments before she hears Cobb open the door and come into his private office. She sits at her dressing table brushing her hair, waiting for the customary knock on her door to signal their meeting. But there is no knock and after about 15 minutes she sees from the crack under the door that Cobb has turned out the lamp. She hears the office door close and the key turn in the lock. He would not come to her tonight.

Freed from the threat of Cobb's visit she allows herself to realize the horror of what she has heard. The explosion that had killed her father and brothers was not a tragic accident but a vicious and deliberate act by Cyrus Cobb to break into the coal business in Wyoming. Now he was going to commit further crime by silencing the men that could bring him to justice for it.

Moira opens a large trunk and digs through the folded costumes to a packet of papers wrapped up and tied in a corset. She unlaces the corset, opens the packet and reads one of the letters from Harry Osmond dated a few weeks before:

"My darling Moira. Providence has placed in my grasp the means whereby I will forever secure your admiration. Cyrus Cobb has let it be known among certain circles that he will award $20,000 to whoever is able to rid the territory of John Campbell. An opportunity to do so awaits Saturday next when Campbell will parade through the streets in open carriage. I have it on good authority that two Texas gunmen, Ben Tyree and Luke Anderson intend to claim the prize for mercenary reasons. I will best them in the contest, for my motives are of the highest order- to achieve the fame that has been denied me and so ensure that the memory of my boldness and bravery will live in your heart forever. "

Moira rewraps the packet, ties it back into the corset and places the bundle in a clean pillowcase. She steps out of her room, sees no one is in the hall and walks quickly down to Maggie's room. If anyone challenges her on the way she can say is bringing an undergarment to Maggie to repair.

Moira knocks softly on Maggie's door and whispers "Maggie…let me in!" When there is no response she knocks a bit louder. "Maggie-it's Moira.."

The door opens a crack and Maggie peeks out. "What is it. Moira?"

"Maggie, let me in. I need to see Will. I know he's here," says Moira, pushing past Maggie and into the room. It was common knowledge that on show nights Will Donaghue spent the night with Maggie.

Will Donaghue, wearing red long johns , is crouched behind a chair , holding a derringer. He steps out from behind the chair when he sees it is Moira.

"Will - the man you were with today- Slim Sherman- do ye know where he's stayin?" asks Moira,

Will shrugs, not trusting Moira, given her closeness to Cobb. .

"I know you do!" says Moira. She drops her voice to a whisper. "'Listen to me now! Bring Sherman these letters to me from Osmond. I didn't burn them- they're what he's looking for. And there's somethin else …the mine explosion-it wasn't an accident. It was sabotage – by Cobb. "

"Sabotage!" says Will. "The dirty…"

"There's men got the proof of it- they're to be at the mine tomorrow. Cobb and his men are gonna kill them so the sabotage won't come to light. It's the truth- I heard Cobb talkin to Slade tonight."

Will grabs his trousers while Maggie finds the rest of his clothes.

"And Will… get word to Michael. Tell him I …just let him know what's happening," Moira says. "Be careful!"

"I've been such a fool, Maggie," says Moira.

Moira returns to her room, unseen. A few moments later, carrying a tray with clean bandages and a small bottle of medicine, she stops outside the door of the storage room at the back of the theatre where Cobb has billeted Jess Harper pending further evaluation of his skills and loyalty.

Moira knocks on the door. A moment later Jess, revolver in hand, opens it a crack.

"What do you want?" he asks, seeing Moira outside.

"I've come to tend your wound," she says.

"It don't need tendin," growls Jess, closing the door.

One of Cobb's men, on night patrol of the theatre, sees Moira outside the door.

"What're you doin here , Miss Moira?" he asks

.

"Mr Cobb told me to tend to Mr Harper's injury but he won't let me in."

The man bangs on the door. "Harper! Open up! Let the lady in!"

Jess opens the door and stands aside resentfully as Moira enters.

"You gonna be all right here with him , Miss Moira? I can wait."

"I'll be fine. Don't be wastin yur time- you know Mr Cobb wants the whole place looked over at night."

Moira watches the man walk away and closes the door. "I haven't much time. Take off your shirt."

. "Lady, I've seen some fast workin saloon girls in my day, but you're…" begins Jess.

"Oh for heavens sake Harper, I need a reason for bein' here. Now let me change the bandage and listen to what I have to say." Moira works quickly, ripping off the old blood stained bandage and replacing it with a clean one.

"Jess, I know you don't like me and you don't trust me but you've got to believe what I tell you now. The tall, fair man in the saloon today- Slim Sherman-the one you were pretendin to fight with…"

Jess is stunned by her perception .

"I know actin when I see it," says Moira. "I'm sendin Slim Sherman letters that prove Cobb put up the money to have Campbell shot. But there's more- I heard Cobb 'n Slade talkin tonight- Cobb sabotaged the coal mine so the owner would have to sell out . There's men with proof of it are goin to be at the mine site tomorrow. Cobb 'n his men are goin to kill them there. He's takin you along- but he's not sure of you yet. He'll make you do the killin so's he can be sure of you."

"Why're you tellin me this?" Jess is still suspicious of Moira.

"My father and 2 brothers, my friends, my neighbours, were in that black pit when it blew up," she says bitterly.

"I'm sorry," Jess says sincerely.

"Your friend Sherman is in danger too. He's lettin it be known he wants to get into the coal minin business…"

"Slim a mine owner?!" scoffs Jess. "I don't believe it."

"Cobb believes it. He wants into coal mining himself. He's gonna make sure Sherman gets no part of the business…he'll do whatever he has to to stop him…you better warn him" she says. "You have to get away tonight- there's a chance after about 3 AM – the stage crews finish cleanin up after the play. They all leave from the back stage door. The guards don't pay them any mind. If you can mix in with them you might get out. Go to the end of the hall, then downstairs to the door."

" Does Cobb suspect you?" asks Jess. "Seems like you're playin a dangerous game helpin Slim 'n warnin me."

Moira smiles bitterly. "S'pose it's a game of chance then – does Cobb suspect me or does he not? "

She picks up the tray with the discarded bandages. Jess opens the door and she checks the hall before stepping out. . "When you get out of here, you better take it easy for a while," says Moira. "I don't like the looks of that wound."

Moira is on the way to her room when she notices Maggie's door ajar and dull lamplight in the room. As she reaches the door she hears sobbing.

Moira knocks on the door softly, then pushes it open further. She sees Maggie sitting in her rocking chair, her face in her hands, sobbing quietly. "Maggie? What's wrong?"

Maggie looks up at Moira , her eyes and nose red from crying. "Moira darlin, forgive me.!"

:Why? What have you done?," Moira asks fearfully.

"I've … told … him ….everythin!" says Maggie .

"Who have you told Maggie?" Moira takes hold of Maggie's shoulders. "What have you told?"

"Cobb… he said he crush me fingers if I didn't tell him all I knew. Moira, if I can't sew I've no way to live!" Maggie dissolves into wracking sobs.

Cobb knows Maggie is the person who knows everything that goes on in the Eldorado. He has found out about her padding her expenses and like a predator, waited for the opportune moment to confront her with it. He made his move tonight. Cobb has told her that in exchange for information about any one who is disloyal to him or plotting against him she may keep her job and he will not destroy her fingers, and her livelihood.

Furious, Moira shakes the old woman by the shoulders. "You know what you've done! You've sold us all out! You've sent Will to his death!"

"Will? Not at all. It's Will they'll be lookin for but it's a fine lady dressed in me best frock and cape and bonnet'll be deliverin the papers to Mr Sherman. He's even wearin the stays ye've wrapped the letters in. I've been wantin him to shave off those whiskers for years so tonight he had to do it. He'll get through all right, Moira. But what'll become of you, Darlin, now Cobb knows you've betrayed him? If only you could get away!" "

Moira picks up a black cape that Maggie has been repairing and puts it on. She walks to the door and looks out into the hall. It is deserted. Without another word to Maggie she runs down the hall back to Jess's room. She knocks on the door, quietly but urgently.

Jess opens the door a crack, standing behind it, holding his revolver. He sees it is Moira and pulls her in.

"I'm going with you," Moira says.

Meanwhile, over at the Cheyenne Cattlemen's Hotel Slim has been put up in style at government expense. The hotel is strictly high class. Slim has never stayed anywhere like this.

Slim is about to turn in when there is a knock on his door. It is the Bates the bellhop, an elderly Englishman who has spent his life in service and has worked in toney hotels in Britain " ."Mr Sherman- there is a person downstairs who wants to see you. I said you had probably already retired but the person will not go away. It is a very curious person, Mr Sherman. Shall I call hotel security?"

"Does the person have a name?" asks Slim.

"The name given was Will Donaghue, however the person is completely clad in women's apparel."

"Send her… him up," says Slim, flipping Bates a 6 bits tip. .

Meanwhile Jess and Moira wait by the door of his room as the minutes crawl by. Jess checks his watch and at 3:30 he opens the door cautiously and looks out both ways. The hall is clear..

Jess steps out of the room and holds out a hand to Moira. "Come on," he whispers.

They walk swiftly down the hall to a door at the end of the corridor. Jess opens it and walks down the first few steps. The ways is clear. He gestures to Moira to follow. They see the stage hands heading toward the outside door in small groups. Jess and Moira blend into one of the last groups to go out. They step through the door into the darkness. They turn the corner of the theatre where Cobb and three of his men are waiting.

"You're not leaving!" says Cobb in a whiny voice, sounding like a disappointed host whose dinner guests want to leave before dessert is served.

Cobb steps forward and takes Moira's arm. Two of the men grab hold of Jess but not in a way which attracts attention. Cobb has given orders he does not want to be embarrassed by a scene in front of the theatre staff.

Cobb's henchmen bring Jess and Moira back to Cobb's large office. "Sit down, my dear," says Cobb, gently guiding Moira into a velvet wing chair. Moira perches nervously on the edge of the chair.

"And sit Mr Harper here," says Cobb, gesturing to a hard wooden chair. The henchmen push Jess roughly into the chair, tying his hands clumsily together.

Cobb pours himself a drink and looks at Jess coldly. "Other than actors, who are paid to assume false identities, I don't much care for people who pretend to be someone they're not," says Cobb. "So what is your real game here, Mr Harper, and who sent you to play it?"

Jess does not answer. He looks at Cobb with insolent defiance, despite knowing that Cobb is about to unleash his thugs onto him.

Cobb nods to Slade, who steps forward and hits Jess across the face several times, leaving a darkening bruise on his cheek, a cut above his eye, and a split lip. Then he grabs Jess, pulls him out of the chair and punches him repeatedly before releasing him roughly back into the chair. He strikes a final blow to the head which renders Jess unconscious.

Moira watches in horror, imagining what Cobb has in store for her. He delicately traces her cheek with his hand as he sips his whisky and looks at her inscrutably.

At that moment another of Cobb's men comes into the office. "It's getting onto light, Mr Cobb. If we're gonna ride to that mine for first light we best git to it."

Cobb finishes his drink. "Bring the both of them," he orders.

A short time later Cobb, 10 of his henchmen, and Moira are mounted . Jess, still unconscious, is tied onto his horse, with one of Cobb's thugs riding double. Cobb gives the order and they ride at a gallop to the site of the abandoned mine, where 30 Irishmen, including Moira's family, perished in an explosion and cave in paid for by Cyrus Cobb.

Meanwhile, at the mine site, Dr Hochstein and the US Marshal Matt Monroe, are preparing to inspect the mine to further document the evidence of sabotage. Hochstein unrolls a map of the mine, explaining the notations to Monroe.

Hochstein points to something at the entrance of the mine and as they walk toward the entrance Slim rides up at a gallop, and pulls up Alamo a short distance away from them. He sees Cobb and his riders approaching from a wooded ridge a short distance from the mine. They are riding closer, quickly. As they ride into range, they dismount, taking cover behind rocks and clumps of trees.

"Marshal, it's an ambush! Take cover now! Over here!" Slim shouts, as he dismounts, and pulls his rifle from its scabbard. There are some large jagged rocks near the mine entrance and a wooded area behind them. Slim dives behind the rocks . Monroe sees Cobb's men now and pushes Hochstein toward the cover of the rocks as Cobb's men begin to fire. Monroe has only his .45 and Hochstein is unarmed.

"I'm Slim Sherman- workin for Tom Buchanan – Governor's office. That's Cyrus Cobb – he intends to kill you both ,"says Slim, as Monroe hits the ground beside him.

"I'd say there's a fair chance of him doin just that , less you've got the 7th Cavalry hidin in them trees," says Monroe, a seasoned lawman in his 40s who can quickly size up the odds in a gunfight.

Suddenly there is the sound of gunfire behind Slim and Monroe, directed toward Cobb's men. Will Donaghue and Michael Doyle run, crouching, from the wooded area, and join Slim and Monroe behind the rocks.

"We brought a few friends along, if that's all right," says Will.

Slim turns around. Firing rifles from the cover of the trees are at least 20 men , miners and other Irishmen, all members of Doyle's union. "Fine with me, Will," says Slim gratefully.

Several of Cobb's have been killed or hit. Cobb is now out numbered and outgunned and he knows it. But he's not about to lose the game. He and Slade are well protected behind a large bank of rocks. Cobb has Moira beside him. Jess has been pulled from the horse and is lying on the ground nearby, beginning to come around.

"Sherman! It's Cyrus Cobb! I want to talk to you! Stop firing,' says Cobb.

"I'm listenin Cobb," says Slim , not leaving the cover of the rocks.

"Let's trade- you give me Hochstein and the lawman and I'll give you your friend Jess Harper and my star performer Moira Doyle."

"Moira!" says Michael Doyle. Despite all that has happened he still loves her. "Slim, let some of us try to flank them- there's plenty of tree cover – we could try get round behind them. if you could just buy us some time."

"All right, we'll keep drawin their fire. Not sure how many guns are left up there," says Slim "Good luck!"

"Slim – have ye not heard of the luck of the Irish?" says Michael, smiling and reloading his gun. "Come on Will." Michael and Will move away back into the woods, gather up three other men and begin to find their way up the wooded hill to where Cobb and his remaining men are dug in. They are closing in when Slade notices movement in the trees, aims his rifle and fires, hitting Will in the arm.

"Jesus Mary Joseph!" cries out Will in pain.

"Get down, Will! " says Michael, dropping to his knees and pulling Will down beside him.

Slade keeps firing. The Irishmen return fire but Slade is protected by the rocks. Michael signals to them to stop wasting ammunition.

Meanwhile Jess has worked the badly tied rope off his wrists. He slowly moves into a sitting position, a short distance from Slade and Cobb. Both have their back to him.

Slade pivots to his side to take another shot in the direction of the Irishmen and sees in his peripheral vision that Jess is conscious and sitting upright. The last thing Slade sees is Jess Harper pull out his boot knife and fling it with fatal accuracy into his chest. Slade cries out and falls to the ground , dropping his rifle.

Jess dives for the rifle, lifts it and fires at Cobb, but there are no bullets left. Cobb points his gun and fires, grazing Jess in the shoulder. He is knocked back by the force of the bullet..

There is no more firing from either side. Cobb's men are either dead, wounded , or have snuck away.

"Sherman, I'm losing patience. What's your answer? Do we trade?" says Cobb, looking around, realizing that he is now alone.

"You're through, Cobb," says Slim. "We have the evidence that you were behind the plot on the Governor's life ."

"You think so? What evidence? You have some letters from a lunatic to a whore and the testimony of a gunman that was in cahoots with the other shooters-…. You think any court will convict me on that… " Cobb taunts.

"I have enough faith in the law to try it," responds Slim. "Game's over, Cobb."

"But I have Harper and Moira," says Cobb. "Still have a couple of chips left to bargain with!"

"Only if they're alive and unharmed," says Slim, playing along with Cobb's bluff. "I'm coming up there. I want to see them up close," says Slim, stepping out from behind the rocks and walking toward Cobb's position.

As Slim approaches, Cobb grabs Moira, holding her close against himself, and holding his gun at her throat.

Slim stops walking a short distance away from Cobb.

Michael Doyle walks out slowly from the tree cover and stands beside Slim. Before turning around to face Cobb he says quietly, "Wait for your chance, then shoot."

Michael walks closer to Cobb and Moira. He looks at Moira and smiles. "That's a fine whore ye've got there, Cobb. Does everythin ye ask, does she? I s'pose you pay her top dollar for it…" Doyle steps closer to Moira as he taunts and shames her, drawing her gaze and attention..

"How dare you say such things to me! " Forgetting everything but her anger Moira suddenly struggles in Cobb's arms, to better confront Doyle. In doing so she shifts to one side and leaves Cobb's head and upper body exposed, and the hand holding his gun pulled away from her throat.

As Moira moves, so does Slim, pulling his gun in a swift, fluid motion, and taking his shot, hitting Doyle between the eyes. Doyle stands still for a moment, blinks, then crumples to the ground, releasing Moira. Shivering from shock , Moira kneels on the ground, Cobb's blood spattered on her face and dress,

Michael kneels beside her . "Will ye be comin home now, Mavourneen?" (mavourneen means "my beloved" in Irish Gaelic)

Slim goes to where Jess is lying on the ground and helps him up. His is unsteady on his feet and bleeding from the new gunshot wound.

"Can you ride?" asks Slim.

"Yeah, I think so," says Jess.

"Then let's go home," says Slim.

After finding their horses Jess and Slim bid a quick goodbye to Moira, Michael , Will and the others . They gallop back toward Cheyenne to find a doctor to get Jess some medical attention, then continue on to Laramie.

Jess and Slim arrive home at the ranch near suppertime. There is a visitor's horse tied up at the hitching rail.

"Somethin smells good," says Slim, getting a whiff of Jonesy's dinner cooking.

Jess dismounts wearily, leaning on Traveller for a moment.

"You alright?" asks Slim.

"Yeah," says Jess. "Wasn't sure I was gonna make it."

The door opens and Andy runs out. "Slim! Jess! Glad you're back!"

They go inside and find that the visitor is Tom Buchanan. "I got your wire," says Buchanan. Slim had sent a brief wire from Cheyenne that the investigation was finished and he'd fill in the details when he got back to Laramie.

Jonesy takes a look at Jess, beat up, bleeding and exhausted. "All right Mister- let's have a look at the extent of damage this time." Jess follows Jonesy down the hall. "Rest o' you go ahead 'n eat. Andy, you help Slim put everythin out."

Dinner is chicken and dumplings, biscuits, fresh coffee and apple pie (the daily special at Sherman Ranch).. Buchanan enthusiastically accepts a second helping of everything.

"Looks like Harper took quite a beating," says Buchanan. "I knew it was a dangerous assignment, but we had to find out who hired Tyree and Anderson."

Slim drops his fork. "You sayin Jess was workin for you?"

Buchanan laughs. "He said he'd like to see your face when you found out. He's gonna be sorry he missed it. I was holding him on suspicion of attempted murder. You got to admit it looked like he was involved in a plot to assassinate Campbell. He asked me to turn him lose for a week, give him the chance to find out how he'd bin set up. Said he had to clear his name and to do that he had to find out who sent those Texas gunslicks to Laramie. Had to be the same person was gunnin for Campbell, which was what I needed to find out."

"Why didn't one of you tell me?" asks Slim.

"Couldn't risk tellin anyone, told Harper not to as well. First time I've ever turned a suspect loose- but I figured if you and Corey trusted him, I'd take the chance on him."

"I trust Jess with my life," says Slim. "He's a good man."

"Folks in town don't think so," says Andy sadly. "They're still talkin bout that newspaper story made him look real bad…"

Buchanan looks uncomfortable as he had practically dictated the story to the editor Billings.

Andy goes to the stove and cuts another large slice of pie, placing it in front of Buchanan. "Have some more pie, Mr Buchanan. Jonesy always makes extra when there's company."

"Thanks Andy. Jonesy makes the best apple pie in the Territory," says Buchanan, attacking the lightly browned crust first.

Andy gives Slim a sly smile.

Jonesy comes out of Jess's room, looking grim.

"How's Jess," asks Slim.

"Not good,: says Jonesy. "He's hurt real bad. He's gonna need an awful lot a rest."

"He'll get it," says Slim.

"But we're so busy right now and there's so much to do!" says Jonesy. He turns to Buchanan. "Any chance those two young fellers can stay on for a spell?"

"I'll arrange it," says Buchanan. "It's the least we can do, after Slim and Jess's service to the territory. Oh…almost forgot…" Buchanan reaches into his vest pocket and hands a fat envelope to Slim. A more tangible expression of the Governor's gratitude to you both. "

There is a loud knock on the door. Jonesy opens the door to the two young troopers Buchanan left to help on the ranch. The boys take off their hats and smile warmly at Jonesy.

The taller of the two acts as spokesman. "Mr Jonesy, sir, we got them fences fixed, the cows're milked, laundry's done, the horses're fed 'n watered, 'n we built that new critter cage for Andy. We're just rearin to get goin paintin that barn…less you got somethin else you want us to do first…."

"No boys, you can get started on the barn soon as you're ready," says Jonesy. He turns to the others in the kitchen with a look of satisfied self-importance as he begins to clear the table.

Next day the morning stage pulls in on time. Andy and Jonesy change the horses. Mose is about to pull out when he drops the reins. "Dang near forgot agin!" he exclaims as he tosses the rolled Laramie Daily Sentinel to Jonesy. "Read all about it! You fellers're gonna put this place on the map!" He slaps the reins on the horses and the stage pulls away.

Jonesy unrolls the paper – the headline reads "LOCAL RANCH HAND EXONERATED IN ASSASSINATION INVESTIGATION" . Jonesy reads, "Jess Harper, an employee of the Sherman Ranch, which also is the stage stop for the Great Central Overland and Mail Stage, has been absolved of any involvement in the attempt on the life of Governor John Campbell… "

"Wonder what made Billings (the editor) give Jess the front page?" wonders Jonesy.

Andy smiles slyly. "Jonesy, you make the best apple pie in the Territory!"

THE END


End file.
